Dhaka/New Delhi, Dec 19: Bangladesh remained tense on Friday following the death of Sharif Osman Hadi, a prominent leader of the July Uprising, whose passing sparked fresh unrest, vandalism, and protests across several parts of the country.
Authorities said the violence, which erupted on Thursday night after Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus confirmed Hadi’s death in a televised address, included attacks on government buildings, media offices, and symbolic sites linked to the country’s political history.
Protesters vandalised the partially demolished building at 32 Dhanmandi — once the home of Bangladesh’s founding father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman — using hammers and sticks. Demonstrators also targeted an Awami League office in Rajshahi, leading to clashes with police that lasted late into the night.
Reports said stones were hurled at the residence of the Assistant Indian High Commissioner in Chattogram at around 1:30 am, though no major damage occurred. Security forces responded with tear gas and baton charges, detaining at least 12 people. Officials have since assured the Indian mission of heightened security measures.
The unrest followed confirmation that Hadi, who was contesting the upcoming February 12 general elections, died in a Singapore hospital after battling gunshot wounds for six days. He was shot in the head by masked gunmen last week while launching his campaign in Dhaka’s Bijoynagar area.
Late on Thursday, supporters of the National Citizen Party (NCP) — an offshoot of the Students Against Discrimination (SAD) movement that spearheaded last year’s July Uprising — marched through Dhaka University demanding justice and closure of the Indian High Commission. The group alleged that Hadi’s attackers had fled to India.
“The interim government must act. Until India returns the killers of Hadi Bhai, the Indian High Commission will remain closed. This is a war for justice,” declared NCP leader Sarjis Alm.
Elsewhere in Dhaka, mobs attacked the offices of Prothom Alo and The Daily Star near Karwan Bazar, damaging property and setting fires outside the buildings while journalists were trapped inside. The cultural organisation Chhayanaut was also targeted, with furniture dragged onto the streets and set ablaze.
Former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) condemned the violence, holding the Yunus-led interim government responsible for failing to prevent the chaos.
In his national address, Chief Adviser Yunus announced a one-day state mourning on Saturday and promised swift justice, declaring, “No leniency will be shown to the killers of Hadi. I appeal to all citizens to maintain patience and restraint.”
He said special prayers for Hadi’s soul would be held across the country following Friday prayers. “The blood of martyrs will not go in vain. The democratic journey of Bangladesh will continue,” Yunus added.
